I had posted before about how I was taped for the TV show Sponge and how I was waiting until it was on TV. Well last night was my first TV appearance. So here is the file (23 megs) and the file again (5 megs). And now my running commentary:
Up Next: Sponge
Welcome to Sponge, these are the hosts of the program.
With this show viewers submit interesting tidbits of info to the show and some are selected to become segments on Sponge. They introduce the segment with a video clip and then ask the contestants what this means or what the segment will be about.
The sentence says "In Chinese this means ."
The hosts interact and cracks jokes here and there. But what does this sign mean?
Sorry, but no additional hints.
Is it something that a wife would do or a sign for a wife?
Is it something to do with love? This man is unsure.
The answer, "In Chinese this means the number 10."
There are a number of things and signs that a hand can make. Let's go to the fish market and see if this is one of the signs that they do. Nope, not really.
Let's ask our foreign friends.
The Russian says 'something to do with love.'
The American says 'it looks like a promise.'
The Japanese and the Vietnamese both think it is something food related.
The Chinese teacher (speaking in Chinese) demonstrates the sign for us.
Well, let's count in Korean, and now in Japanese, and in Russian, and English. What's this? He's counting in Korean? Caption says "He's been in Korea for a very long time." Alright, let's try that again. And finally in Chinese, which seems to confuse our other foreign friends.
1 -5 and then 6-10 written in Chinese with the phonetic alphabet.
The NUMBER 10.
I want peaches! Caption says 'Chinese don't need to speak to count.'
The submitted information is given a score of 1-5 stars and the submitter is gives money in connection with the number of stars received.
End of the program (host still counting).
Thank you for watching Sponge~.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
A Simple Walk
Not the best picture but one of my best food finds in awhile. While eating a lunch of rapookie with a side dish of kimchee, the owner of the restaurant gave me a free roll of kimbap. I decided to dip the kimbap in the rapookie and put a slice of kimchee on top.
It was glorious.
Afterwards, I remembered hearing that it is supposedly only a 45 minute walk from school to home, I decided I would try it out. I set off in the direction of the subway line and enjoyed looking here and there.
I passed a building materials storage area with a good supply of bamboo. This was quickly followed by a residential area and then a small park.
Instead of trying to be located away from your competition, in Korea and China there is sometimes the idea to be located as close as you can to your competition. You get enough of the same product stores located next to each other and now the area is know for having that product. While certain streets in Korea might have, say, a lot of metal shops located next to each other, China will have entire cities with the same product that they manufacture, example: bed spreads or pillows. Now the area has a reputation and people will come from farther away to visit your area to buy your product.
Saw some veggies for sale and I even found where they make those stereotypical street vendor carts that sell dopoukie!
Passed a home with a short door and then a few blocks away passed store after store with hand held power tools. I could have sworn I was in China with how this store was laid out. Fifty feet later I crossed over a nice bridge and was surprised to see how well designed the concrete river was. I will take this any day over the one in LA.
Last photo is of some additional street vendors standing in front of a traditional style wall. I am not sure what was on the other side but am guessing some buildings from the Joseon Dynasty.
I was excited to find a used DVD store among all of this. These were mostly not from rental stores (rental store boxes aren't as good in my opinion) and was able to snag 15 movies for $66. The owner decided to give me a deal and knocked it down to $60 ^_^ so $4 each.
With all of the side trips and detours the walk ended up being 4 1/2 hours long with me walking almost the entire time on a route I have never been and only asking for directions once.
It was glorious.
Afterwards, I remembered hearing that it is supposedly only a 45 minute walk from school to home, I decided I would try it out. I set off in the direction of the subway line and enjoyed looking here and there.
I passed a building materials storage area with a good supply of bamboo. This was quickly followed by a residential area and then a small park.
Instead of trying to be located away from your competition, in Korea and China there is sometimes the idea to be located as close as you can to your competition. You get enough of the same product stores located next to each other and now the area is know for having that product. While certain streets in Korea might have, say, a lot of metal shops located next to each other, China will have entire cities with the same product that they manufacture, example: bed spreads or pillows. Now the area has a reputation and people will come from farther away to visit your area to buy your product.
Saw some veggies for sale and I even found where they make those stereotypical street vendor carts that sell dopoukie!
Passed a home with a short door and then a few blocks away passed store after store with hand held power tools. I could have sworn I was in China with how this store was laid out. Fifty feet later I crossed over a nice bridge and was surprised to see how well designed the concrete river was. I will take this any day over the one in LA.
Last photo is of some additional street vendors standing in front of a traditional style wall. I am not sure what was on the other side but am guessing some buildings from the Joseon Dynasty.
I was excited to find a used DVD store among all of this. These were mostly not from rental stores (rental store boxes aren't as good in my opinion) and was able to snag 15 movies for $66. The owner decided to give me a deal and knocked it down to $60 ^_^ so $4 each.
With all of the side trips and detours the walk ended up being 4 1/2 hours long with me walking almost the entire time on a route I have never been and only asking for directions once.
Friday, July 20, 2007
As Easy As 1 2 3
When talking to friends from Asia I have noticed that counting beyond a thousand becomes an issue. Fingers are pulled out and counted upon. But why? That has never made sense. Never made sense until I learned how to count in Asian.
I already posted on how to count with your fingers in Korean and Chinese, but counting larger numbers are more interesting.
In Korean there are two number systems: 1 is from China (Sino-Korean) and the other is pure Korean. 1-10 in Chinese and Sino-Korean are really simliar except 1 and 2 are swapped. Bescides that the Sino-Korean is a lot easier to use and count with. In fact the pure Korean system stops after 99 and by default people change to Sino-Korean at that point. But which system do people use?
1-10 (Korean)
11+ (Korean but sometimes Sino-Korean)
100+ (Sino-Korean)
Telephone numbers (Sino-Korean but sometimes a mix of Korean since #1 and #2 can sound similiar when said fast)
Counting beyond 100 in Sino-Korean (remember, Chinese system) gets interesting as well:
# (English) >Korean<
100 (one hundred) <백 = one hundred>
1,000 (one thousand) <천 = one thousand>
10,000 (ten thousand) <만 = ten thousand>
100,000 (hundred thousand) <십만 = ten ten-thousand>
1,000,000 (million) <백만 = hundred ten-thousand>
10,000,000 (ten million) <천만 = thousand ten-thousand>
100,000,000 (hundred million) <억 = (single word) 100 million>
(sorry it looks so messy; the blog destroyed my formatting)
Seeing an advertisement on the subway that said "300 억," so three hundred billion.
Now it all makes sense, right?
I already posted on how to count with your fingers in Korean and Chinese, but counting larger numbers are more interesting.
In Korean there are two number systems: 1 is from China (Sino-Korean) and the other is pure Korean. 1-10 in Chinese and Sino-Korean are really simliar except 1 and 2 are swapped. Bescides that the Sino-Korean is a lot easier to use and count with. In fact the pure Korean system stops after 99 and by default people change to Sino-Korean at that point. But which system do people use?
1-10 (Korean)
11+ (Korean but sometimes Sino-Korean)
100+ (Sino-Korean)
Telephone numbers (Sino-Korean but sometimes a mix of Korean since #1 and #2 can sound similiar when said fast)
Counting beyond 100 in Sino-Korean (remember, Chinese system) gets interesting as well:
# (English) >Korean<
100 (one hundred) <백 = one hundred>
1,000 (one thousand) <천 = one thousand>
10,000 (ten thousand) <만 = ten thousand>
100,000 (hundred thousand) <십만 = ten ten-thousand>
1,000,000 (million) <백만 = hundred ten-thousand>
10,000,000 (ten million) <천만 = thousand ten-thousand>
100,000,000 (hundred million) <억 = (single word) 100 million>
(sorry it looks so messy; the blog destroyed my formatting)
Seeing an advertisement on the subway that said "300 억," so three hundred billion.
Now it all makes sense, right?
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Keeping the Balance
A lot has changed in the past few months...a lot. I wanted to go to schol for summer to learn the language and it also was a great excuse to go to the country that I love.
Trying to figure out how much time should be devoted to class (4 days a week, 4 hours a day, with now three sets of homework per class and 1 set 2x a week + vocab words), meeting with friends some of which I have known for 7 years, travalign to cities I have never been to/travel within this city, goin to the coffee shop that I love and do homework and get tutoring for free.
I only have a limited time in this city and so I need to get my use out of that while I can. As for the language; I already have my BA and I will be in the country after summer as well. I have learned that tryign to learn Korean while not is Korea, really doesn't work out that well.
I know that it is okay to let my grades drop since the grades themselves don't really matter. But for my whole life I have worked incredibly hard to get the best grades that I can. I feel like I am going against my own nature.
I'm having fun. I'm learning the language. And if I don't get all of my homework down, so be it. Grades should not control my life.
Trying to figure out how much time should be devoted to class (4 days a week, 4 hours a day, with now three sets of homework per class and 1 set 2x a week + vocab words), meeting with friends some of which I have known for 7 years, travalign to cities I have never been to/travel within this city, goin to the coffee shop that I love and do homework and get tutoring for free.
I only have a limited time in this city and so I need to get my use out of that while I can. As for the language; I already have my BA and I will be in the country after summer as well. I have learned that tryign to learn Korean while not is Korea, really doesn't work out that well.
I know that it is okay to let my grades drop since the grades themselves don't really matter. But for my whole life I have worked incredibly hard to get the best grades that I can. I feel like I am going against my own nature.
I'm having fun. I'm learning the language. And if I don't get all of my homework down, so be it. Grades should not control my life.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Filming at KBS Studios / KBS 스튜디오에 촬영이에요
I really got a kick out of the taping of "Sponge" at KBS Studios. We had people from Korea, Russia, Japan, China, Vietnam, and the US who were taped for this show. They are doing a segment on the differences in counting between various countries. While most of the countries I mentioned have a very simply 'raise a finger, lower a finger' method, the Chinese way is completely different and that really was the focus.
Korean was the only language used when giving directions for us; which was not a problem since everyone was in Level 4 of the Korean Language Program at HanYang Univerisity. Oh, my mistake, everyone except for me.
If you have not seen "Lost In Translation" then you need to watch this sequence. If you have seen the movie then you need to watch this scene again:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cUt7JmUIix4
That scene and the scene where Bob is waiting in the hospital waiting room are my two favorite segments by far. The clip started to go through my mind halfway through the taping because I wasn't completely positive what they wanted me to. Thankfully the other students had a really good grip on English and were able to help me when I didn't understand. Oh yeah, Blooper Reels are called NG. And I left my footprint in the NG world as well by starting to count in Korean instead of English :P
The show is on every Saturday around dinner time, so I will be checking it the next few weeks to see when I will air on "Sponge."
Korean was the only language used when giving directions for us; which was not a problem since everyone was in Level 4 of the Korean Language Program at HanYang Univerisity. Oh, my mistake, everyone except for me.
If you have not seen "Lost In Translation" then you need to watch this sequence. If you have seen the movie then you need to watch this scene again:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cUt7JmUIix4
That scene and the scene where Bob is waiting in the hospital waiting room are my two favorite segments by far. The clip started to go through my mind halfway through the taping because I wasn't completely positive what they wanted me to. Thankfully the other students had a really good grip on English and were able to help me when I didn't understand. Oh yeah, Blooper Reels are called NG. And I left my footprint in the NG world as well by starting to count in Korean instead of English :P
The show is on every Saturday around dinner time, so I will be checking it the next few weeks to see when I will air on "Sponge."
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Exodus / 출애굽기
Amazing how God opens doors and closes others. I first visited Korea 7 years ago and have been wanting to live here for the past 5 years or so. When I was getting ready for this 3 month summer trip I found out not many people expected me to be coming back. After I departed for the East I started to understand why; the doors to return to the States were closing and it was a wonderful feeling.
Before I could start to look for a job I met with an old friend and it was not long until I found out there was a wonderful open door to stay in Korea. It would be a teaching job at a high school where a good friend of mine works. I've been able to visit the school twice and stayed in the student / staff dorms on both occasions.
Needless to say I have accepted the position and will begin work the week after my language classes in Seoul finish.
In 2004 Utada Hikaru, one of my favorite artists, released an album named Exodus. It's title song is about her leaving her home country to pursue life overseas. She has tasted when it is like and cannot live without it. It is the one song that truly describes the way I have been feeling the past few years. Something that no one else has been able to understand other than a few people. It has been a thing of frustration that I could only go for small trips; that I always had to return shortly after. I actually dreaded this trip a little, knowing that at the end of summer I must leave. But now the time has come. Now I can have my Exodus.
So enjoy Utada Hikaru - Exodus 04 and see if you can understand a bit more of where I have been:
With you these streets are heaven
Now home feels so foreign
They told me I was mistaken, infatuated
And I was afraid to trust my hunches
Now I am ready
Daddy don't be mad that I'm leaving
Please let me worry about me
Mama don't you worry about me
This is my story...
CHORUS
Through mountains high and valleys low
The ocean, through the desert snow
We'll say goodbye to the friends we know
This is our Exodus' 04
Through traffic jams in Tokyo
new music on the radio
We'll say goodbye to the world we know
This is our Exodus' 04
Landscapes keep changing
History teaches something
I know I could be mistaken
but my heart has spoken
I cannot redirect my feelings
The waves have parted
Daddy don't be mad that I'm leaving
Please let me worry about me
Mama don't you worry about me
This is my story...
CHORUS
I'm listening
to a music never ending
my baby
Don't you know I'll never let you down
you've opened me
to so many different endings
but baby
I know that you'll always be around
CHORUS x2
(traffic jams in Tokyo
new music on the radio)
(traffic jams in Tokyo
new music on the radio) (radio)
마침내. 저 지금은 집에서 살아요.
이 노래는 뿐 눈물났어요.
끝나요? 아니요, 시작이에요~
아 하나님, 하나님
Before I could start to look for a job I met with an old friend and it was not long until I found out there was a wonderful open door to stay in Korea. It would be a teaching job at a high school where a good friend of mine works. I've been able to visit the school twice and stayed in the student / staff dorms on both occasions.
Needless to say I have accepted the position and will begin work the week after my language classes in Seoul finish.
In 2004 Utada Hikaru, one of my favorite artists, released an album named Exodus. It's title song is about her leaving her home country to pursue life overseas. She has tasted when it is like and cannot live without it. It is the one song that truly describes the way I have been feeling the past few years. Something that no one else has been able to understand other than a few people. It has been a thing of frustration that I could only go for small trips; that I always had to return shortly after. I actually dreaded this trip a little, knowing that at the end of summer I must leave. But now the time has come. Now I can have my Exodus.
So enjoy Utada Hikaru - Exodus 04 and see if you can understand a bit more of where I have been:
With you these streets are heaven
Now home feels so foreign
They told me I was mistaken, infatuated
And I was afraid to trust my hunches
Now I am ready
Daddy don't be mad that I'm leaving
Please let me worry about me
Mama don't you worry about me
This is my story...
CHORUS
Through mountains high and valleys low
The ocean, through the desert snow
We'll say goodbye to the friends we know
This is our Exodus' 04
Through traffic jams in Tokyo
new music on the radio
We'll say goodbye to the world we know
This is our Exodus' 04
Landscapes keep changing
History teaches something
I know I could be mistaken
but my heart has spoken
I cannot redirect my feelings
The waves have parted
Daddy don't be mad that I'm leaving
Please let me worry about me
Mama don't you worry about me
This is my story...
CHORUS
I'm listening
to a music never ending
my baby
Don't you know I'll never let you down
you've opened me
to so many different endings
but baby
I know that you'll always be around
CHORUS x2
(traffic jams in Tokyo
new music on the radio)
(traffic jams in Tokyo
new music on the radio) (radio)
마침내. 저 지금은 집에서 살아요.
이 노래는 뿐 눈물났어요.
끝나요? 아니요, 시작이에요~
아 하나님, 하나님
Monday, July 9, 2007
Do you remember this commercial?
With that last great line in mind, "Follow me! Follow me to freedom!" check out the cool picture I took while at the subway.
With that last great line in mind, "Follow me! Follow me to freedom!" check out the cool picture I took while at the subway.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Dad, a Foreign~ / 아빠 외국~
I know I get looks, I get stares, but it is really funny when a child does it. The thing is I normally don't get to hear what the child says; I'm usually too far away.
I had been studying for the whole afternoon and I was tired, I was walking home. I see this small girl standing at the crosswalk waiting for the light to turn. She sees me and her eyes grow large. She runs to her father and says "아빠, 오국 / Dad, a foreign" (the word for 'foreigner' is different, she just said 'foreign').
I look at her and say "외국? / Foreign?"
She nods her head as I say hello to her in Korean. She then tries to imitate me by sticking out her chest, raising her shoulders a bit and in the deepest voice she can muster says hello back to me in Korean.
(repeat 2x)
I walk away laughing. Hahahaha (and I am still laughing~)
I had been studying for the whole afternoon and I was tired, I was walking home. I see this small girl standing at the crosswalk waiting for the light to turn. She sees me and her eyes grow large. She runs to her father and says "아빠, 오국 / Dad, a foreign" (the word for 'foreigner' is different, she just said 'foreign').
I look at her and say "외국? / Foreign?"
She nods her head as I say hello to her in Korean. She then tries to imitate me by sticking out her chest, raising her shoulders a bit and in the deepest voice she can muster says hello back to me in Korean.
(repeat 2x)
I walk away laughing. Hahahaha (and I am still laughing~)
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
KBS 스폰지
So I might be on TV tomorrow. Might be, unsure.
There is an excursion through the school that I am passing on (fast forward a few days to now) I was asked something about a TV channel and if I was interested. Whatever it is, sure I'm interested.
3 brief discussions later (only part of one was in English) I found out there is a TV show called 스폰지 "Sponge" that is a comedy/trivia show (?) and they want to interview foreigners about how they count with their hand in their home culture (I think). So I was told to meet on campus at 6 pm and ...yeah.
So you never know; my hand might be famous. My hand and all that blond arm hair.
There is an excursion through the school that I am passing on (fast forward a few days to now) I was asked something about a TV channel and if I was interested. Whatever it is, sure I'm interested.
3 brief discussions later (only part of one was in English) I found out there is a TV show called 스폰지 "Sponge" that is a comedy/trivia show (?) and they want to interview foreigners about how they count with their hand in their home culture (I think). So I was told to meet on campus at 6 pm and ...yeah.
So you never know; my hand might be famous. My hand and all that blond arm hair.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Pine Bud Drink / 솔의 눈
I have been eying a drink in the vending machine for some time. The name is intriguing and I have been curious to taste it.
이 병 이름이 아주 재미있어요. 마시기 원했어요.
Well I spent my 50 cents and gave it a try. The smell was almost exactly that of an air freshener. The taste was alright but I am afraid I can't get past the idea of drinking an air freshener.
하 하 하, 이것은 탈취 스프레이! ㅋㅋㅋ~ 잦잦잦잦~
Cheers~
Rick
마셔요~
이차드
이 병 이름이 아주 재미있어요. 마시기 원했어요.
Well I spent my 50 cents and gave it a try. The smell was almost exactly that of an air freshener. The taste was alright but I am afraid I can't get past the idea of drinking an air freshener.
하 하 하, 이것은 탈취 스프레이! ㅋㅋㅋ~ 잦잦잦잦~
Cheers~
Rick
마셔요~
이차드
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